Oaklands Park and Wetland is a new public reserve and wetland at the former Oaklands Park Driver Development Centre site.

The wetland is a functional 400-500 ML/year harvesting scheme, which is a central feature of the highly-valued community park. The wetland cleans stormwater from the Sturt River before it is then stored in a confined aquifer recharge nearly 100 metres underground. The stored water can then be used to irrigate up to 30 council reserves.

The design of the wetland is a ‘constant flow harvesting wetland’ and therefore offers more opportunities for landscape integration than traditional ‘gravity treatment wetlands’. Avoiding an extended detention zone allows the permanent water levels to be much closer to terrestrial activities (both vertically and laterally).

The wetland is the centrepiece of the reserve and welcomes views into the site while providing visitors with a range of immersive experiences.

Its character was defined by establishing multiple ways to interact with the water’s edge. There are a mix of formal and natural edges that encourage public interaction with water, dense planting at the weir bridges, stepping stone pathways adjacent weirs, opportunities to walk out over water, and a meandering low bridge.

The connecting circuit around the wetland has formed an extended link to the adjacent linear trail for dog walkers, cyclists and general users alike.

This project is the first stage of works that came out of the Oaklands Park Masterplan, also prepared by TCL for the City of Marion.